Optical connector

Abstract

In an embodiment of the invention, an optical connector for optically coupling respective end faces of two optical fiber cables including an optical fiber composed of a core and a cladding and a covering layer covering the optical fiber includes a protection sleeve, a cable insertion tube disposed in the protection sleeve for inserting thereinto and butting the respective end faces of the two optical fiber cables, an uncured refractive index matching material disposed between the protection sleeve and the cable insertion tube, and a supply hole formed in the cable insertion tube for supplying the uncured refractive index matching material to an inside of the cable insertion tube. The cable insertion tube includes a cable receiving room for receiving an end of the two optical fiber cables inserted, a fiber receiving room for receiving the optical fiber, and a covering removal member formed at a boundary of the cable receiving room and the fiber receiving room for removing the covering layer.

1. An optical connector for optically coupling respective end faces of two optical fiber cables comprising an optical fiber comprising a core and a cladding and a covering layer covering the optical fiber, comprising:
 a protection sleeve; 
 a cable insertion tube disposed in the protection sleeve for inserting thereinto and butting the respective end faces of the two optical fiber cables; 
 an uncured refractive index matching material disposed between the protection sleeve and the cable insertion tube; and 
 a supply hole formed in the cable insertion tube for supplying the uncured refractive index matching material to an inside of the cable insertion tube, 
 wherein the cable insertion tube comprises a cable receiving room for receiving an end of the two optical fiber cables inserted, a fiber receiving room for receiving the optical fiber, and a covering removal member formed at a boundary of the cable receiving room and the fiber receiving room for removing the covering layer. 
 
   
   
     2. The optical connector according to  claim 1 , wherein the covering removal member comprises a step or an edge formed at the boundary of the cable receiving room. 
   
   
     3. The optical connector according to  claim 1 , wherein the cable insertion tube further comprises an escape space around the cable receiving room for allowing escape and accommodation of the covering layer removed by the covering removal member. 
   
   
     4. The optical connector according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a bag with the uncured refractive index matching material therein or a tube formed of the uncured refractive index matching material, wherein the bag or the tube is enclosed in the cable insertion tube. 
 
   
   
     5. The optical connector according to  claim 1 , wherein the cable insertion tube is formed tapered such that it has a large diameter at both ends thereof for inserting the optical fiber cables, and a small diameter at a central region according to an outside diameter of the optical fiber cables. 
   
   
     6. The optical connector according to  claim 1 , wherein the cable insertion tube comprises a metal tube or a glass tube. 
   
   
     7. The optical connector according to  claim 1 , wherein the uncured refractive index matching material has nearly a same refractive index as the core after curing. 
   
   
     8. The optical connector according to  claim 1 , wherein the refractive index matching material comprises a heat curable resin, a ultraviolet curable resin, a cyanoacrylate room-temperature curing instantaneous adhesive, a light curing instantaneous adhesive, or an one or two-component epoxy resin room-temperature curing instantaneous adhesive.